Celtics actually not 'good enough' with Rondo and Green

[TheBigTicket23]

Before the season started all the tankers were quite positive the Celtics would be too good for a low lottery pick with a core of RR, AB, Sullinger and Green.

Well with 58 games played and the trade deadline behind us I'm glad we did not trade Rondo. Although there is still a possibility we will say goodbye to one, two or three of those players in the offseason, I am confident about the future with this core. We will likely get a top 5 pick, the Hawks/BKN pick looks a bit better aswell which will likely give us a pick around place 17-22.

In the offseason we offload some players and hopefully we say goodbye as soon as possible to Bayless as I really feel he spreads negative energy on the team. With the help of FA and trades I hope we will get some better players, in combination with our picks and core could make us pretty good in a short time. Why are we so bad then, I think we just lack depth, experience and also talent. But the positive thing is that the players who are here for the future are playing better of late.

- Rondo is slowly, week by week getting better. Got time in the offseason to get back to 100% old Rondo.
- Green has been a lil more aggresive after the AS break and although he is not shooting that well I like the aggresiveness and getting to the line.
- Sullinger has had a great season so far, a lil bit more consistency could be nice but he is not as incosistent as Green and has been pretty amazing in some games. In the off season he could lose some weight and get better.
- Olynyk has been really good after the AS break, it looks like he cares a lil bit more and is way more active. He looked like a dreamer in the first half of the season but he is turning out to be a excellent passer, knows how to play and shoot. In the offseason he can bulk up A LOT and improve more.
- Bradley is the only one where I have a couple of question marks, he had a great season before he got injured. I'm just not sure if he is in the long term Celtics plans, I certainly hope so as I think he is a great asset. Still has the potential to get even better in the offseason.

But we are not winning, this west coast roadtrip wasn't the hardest one and actually an easy part in our schedule, I don't expect more than 10 games to win anymore which could give us a top 5 pick. The last 5 games of the season can destroy this pick with relatively easy opponents.
The forecast is not too bad and I just really hope we get lucky in the lottery. Drafting Parker, Embiid, Exum or Wiggins would be great for this team!

[TwinTower14]

I am a pro tanker and I never thought this team was good enough to be a playoff team even with Rondo.  I had them pegged for 30 wins with Rondo for the whole season and 15-23 with him coming off an injury.  To me, this is best case scenario, they kept some of their nice pieces and they have a decent chance at an elite prospect.  I am sure DA is fist pumping in his office, even though he says the draft is overrated ( I know he doesn't believe that ). 

to me the only thing I wanted to see is if Stevens could coach at this level, which he can.  Wish we could fast forward the rest of season and move into the summer, that's when the fun begins...

[Tr1boy]

Rondo has to figure it out.  He has not had success without the big three.

Next year its his last yr before contract renewal. He will have to play better. Danny will give him a better team

If no progression rondo wont be resigned and traded by next years deadline. Maybe at this rate rondo will be the one who wants out

[Donoghus]

It's pretty much a garbage roster outside a handful of guys.

When you asking subpar basketball players to play heavy minutes, you're going to get crappy results. 

I'm not gonna place much blame at all at the feet of guys like Rondo & Sully. 

Outside the green goggle crowd, did anyone really think their ceiling would be much higher than a 6 or 7 seed in the East?

[kozlodoev]

Outside the green goggle crowd, did anyone really think their ceiling would be much higher than a 6 or 7 seed in the East?

No, but this should be a pretty resounding answer about the ability of Rondo to be the best player on a good team, injury or no injury.

[nickagneta]

I think the passive approach the team has taken with injuries has created a real tank effect with this team that has caused rotation fluctuation, unfamiliarity between players, changes to roles and generally has kept this team from winning games.

Not a lot of games, just some. If this team was healthy for the year(meaning Rondo having come back in December, Bradley not getting injured, Sully not hurting his hand/wrist, etc) and if the team didn't have the thought process of "if you are hurt even some you sit", then I think better chemistry would have happened with more defined roles and more wins happening as a result.

Also, this offense that Stevens is playing is just awful and will never succeed at this level of play. He needs to do something to get the ball into the hands of the players that will optimize his chances of scoring. This offense and its desire to put the ball in everyone's hands and generate points through creation from anywhere was designed to be a losing offense in the NBA. I wonder if Stevens installed this offense this year on purpose to lose more games and the full playbook will be introduced next year.

Anyway, I think this team could have been better and won more games but injuries and management from the top have prevented it and, I think Danny has achieved the result he was looking for from the very beginning.

[TheBigTicket23]

Excellent point mentioning Brad Stevens, that's another asset which really developed well. I'm really proud he is our coach and I'm sure he will improve each and every year as I believe he is a hard worker who is starting to bleed green

[Donoghus]

Outside the green goggle crowd, did anyone really think their ceiling would be much higher than a 6 or 7 seed in the East?

No, but this should be a pretty resounding answer about the ability of Rondo to be the best player on a good team, injury or no injury.

Do you think Chris Paul or Tony Parker would be doing much better with this roster?  I don't.

The supporting cast is crap. 

I'd be more concerned if this same thing is going on next season where Rondo has a full training camp under his belt and should be much closer to 100% (or as full health as he'll ever get again).

[sed522002]

Outside the green goggle crowd, did anyone really think their ceiling would be much higher than a 6 or 7 seed in the East?

No, but this should be a pretty resounding answer about the ability of Rondo to be the best player on a good team, injury or no injury.

That last statement...there's a big difference in an injured player being the best on a team vs a non injured player. That doesn't even just apply to Rondo. For instance, when PP was injured during 2012 playoffs his shots were off everything just seemed off. We knew what he was capable of and knew that something had to be wrong because there's a big difference in a non injured Pierce vs an injured one.

[kozlodoev]

Outside the green goggle crowd, did anyone really think their ceiling would be much higher than a 6 or 7 seed in the East?

No, but this should be a pretty resounding answer about the ability of Rondo to be the best player on a good team, injury or no injury.

Do you think Chris Paul or Tony Parker would be doing much better with this roster?  I don't.

The supporting cast is crap. 

I'd be more concerned if this same thing is going on next season where Rondo has a full training camp under his belt and should be much closer to 100% (or as full health as he'll ever get again).

You can wait all you want, that's up to you. But to me, the signs are pretty obvious.

[Donoghus]

Outside the green goggle crowd, did anyone really think their ceiling would be much higher than a 6 or 7 seed in the East?

No, but this should be a pretty resounding answer about the ability of Rondo to be the best player on a good team, injury or no injury.

Do you think Chris Paul or Tony Parker would be doing much better with this roster?  I don't.

The supporting cast is crap. 

I'd be more concerned if this same thing is going on next season where Rondo has a full training camp under his belt and should be much closer to 100% (or as full health as he'll ever get again).

You can wait all you want, that's up to you. But to me, the signs are pretty obvious.

You didn't answer my question.  What do you think?

[Fred Roberts]

I actually thought the team would be .500 or so with Rondo, AB (Lee), Green, Sully (Hump, Bass) and Wallace . .. with maybe Faverani playing some C.

The trades, intermittent injuries and games sat by Sully, Rondo, AB etc have helped the losing but I have been surprised by how convincingly we've lost to some weaker opponents lately.

That said, I'm all about this year's draft and am still optimistic regarding several of the pieces going forward (Rondo, Green, Sully, Kelly, 2 1st round picks, early 2nd rounder & possibly Avery).

Danny still has that $10M trade exception, Hump, Bass and others to possibly trade over the summer. Rondo, Green & co will get their chemistry in better shape heading into next year, so hopefully the winning comes and we're back to .500 or better next year.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

In the offseason we offload some players and hopefully we say goodbye as soon as possible to Bayless as I really feel he spreads negative energy on the team.

I think you're the second person I've come across on CB who feels this way about Bayless, but I don't know where that feeling's coming from. Have you seen him arguing with teammates? Have you read a story about him having a bad attitude? I haven't seen or heard anything even hinting at such a thing.

As far as his play goes, he's been one of the more reliable offensive threats off the bench, and this team needs all the offense it can get.

[vinnie]

Rondo has to figure it out.  He has not had success without the big three.

Next year its his last yr before contract renewal. He will have to play better. Danny will give him a better team

If no progression rondo wont be resigned and traded by next years deadline. Maybe at this rate rondo will be the one who wants out

Rondo has gone from playing with the big three to playing with one of the worst rosters in the game. He is continuing to improve each game he plays. It is difficult to judge his game given how poor this roster is.

[kozlodoev]

You didn't answer my question.  What do you think?

Are you really asking this? Chris Paul won 38 and 39 games in his rookie and sophomore year in Oklahoma with pretty much David West and a collection of spare parts.